ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 161263
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 6 October 2013 |
| Time: | 02:51 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six |
| Owner/operator: | Star Marianas Air Inc |
| Registration: | N4089W |
| MSN: | 32-40145 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1967 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 17003 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | East of the Voices of America Tower, Tinian Island -
 Northern Mariana Islands
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Tinian Island, MP (PGWT) |
| Obyan, MP (PGSN) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
During a night visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight, the pilot encountered a rain shower that reduced the cloud ceiling and visibility, so he then attempted to return to the departure airport. While maneuvering, the airplane descended and impacted terrain. A witness estimated that the airplane’s altitude was less than 500 feet. He saw the airplane make a sharp left turn and then fly out of his view and then he heard the sound of a crash. Physical evidence observed at the accident site was consistent with controlled flight into terrain. No evidence was found of any preimpact mechanical discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Damage to the propeller blades was consistent with the engine developing power at impact. It is likely that the pilot attempted to maintain VFR flight by descending to remain below the clouds and was unable to see and avoid the terrain due to dark night conditions.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering at low altitude in dark night conditions.
Sources:
NTSB
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 3 May 2001 | N4089W | Bellair, Inc. | 0 | Chefornak, AK |  |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Oct-2013 06:23 | Bart Crotty | Added |
| 06-Oct-2013 06:25 | harro | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
| 06-Oct-2013 10:16 | gerard57 | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 07-Oct-2013 03:11 | Geno | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 07-Oct-2013 03:19 | Geno | Updated [Source] |
| 07-Oct-2013 19:52 | Bart Crotty | Updated [Nature] |
| 08-Oct-2013 15:07 | Anon. | Updated [Registration, Cn] |
| 20-Oct-2013 06:48 | Bart Crotty | Updated [Date] |
| 30-Oct-2013 23:00 | Geno | Updated [Operator, Phase, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 29-Nov-2017 09:17 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation